Our Lay Renewal Weekend has come and gone. Hopefully, renewal is just getting started in the lives of many who make EBC their home!

Our team of almost 20 laypersons of varied ages and backgrounds came with a wonderful spirit of love for our Savior and a passion to see others love Him more. And what they had to share and how they led us was embraced and had an impact in many lives. Our celebration service on Sunday night stretched 2 hours long as people shared the blessings they had received and how they had been challenged during the weekend.

What was the key to the great impact of the weekend? Obviously the Holy Spirit is the One who touched lives. But the tool He used was the laypersons who gave themselves to serve Him. I believe He blessed their testimonies and created a spark of interest with the fact that these were ordinary people. They have challenges and struggles just like we all do. Yet they have found the power to live above their circumstances and find a life worth living in Jesus.

I believe many among us said to ourselves, "If God can do that for them, He can do that for me. If God can forgive him/her and change that person's life, He can forgive and change me. If God can use a person like that, He can use me!"

Where will renewal lead us? Only God knows for sure, but I believe true renewal will lead us to take that same message to others in our family, workplace, school and neighborhood. Jesus came to seek and to save those who are lost. He came to bring renewal to that which Satan continually seeks to destroy. Let us follow our Savior's lead!!!